Women’s Studies 401 Topical Senior Seminar Spring, 2002

Diana Scully, Ph.D. Director of Women’s Studies 923 W. Franklin, Room 111 Phone: 828-4041 email: [email protected] Office Hours: Tuesdays Noon to 2:00 PM or by appointment

Course Description

This course is intended as a capstone experience for students who are completing a Women’s Studies track in Interdisciplinary Studies. Thus, you must have senior standing and have completed at least 21 hours of Women’s Studies credit in order to be enrolled. The Senior Seminar topic this semester is global gender violence. We will explore historical and contemporary forms of violence against women on a global scale. Is violence against women institutionalized in all societies? What seems to distinguish societies that are prone to gender violence from those that are not? Is gender violence a violation of women’s human rights? What cultural and structural factors sustain violence against women? Through reading, discussion, and completion of a research project related to global violence against women, students will become familiar with feminist methodology and epistemology and will have the opportunity to apply it and their knowledge of feminist theory to a specific problem within the context of an interdisciplinary research project.

Requirements

My vision of a senior seminar is one in which we collaborate in the process of learning and students do most of the teaching. Therefore, you will be expected to do all assigned reading and to lead discussions on several topics of your choice. In preparing for discussions, avoid the temptation to simply summarize the reading material. Rather, you should present a brief synthesis of the major points in the readings and create 5 or 6 questions that attempt to probe the material and prompt a discussion. Note that this will require some work on your part. Your synthesis and questions will be handed in to me at the end of class for grading. You also will be expected to complete a research project. Topics will be developed in discussion with the seminar. Each student will write a research proposal, present her research to the seminar, and complete a 15 to 20 page research paper.

1 Grade Distribution -Discussion questions—10% -Research proposal—15% -Research presentation—10% -Research paper—65%

Required Reading

Davies, Miranda. Women and Violence: Realities and Responses Worldwide. ZED Books: New Jersey, 1994.

Fonow, Margaret and Judith A. Cook. Beyond Methodology: Feminist Scholarship as Lived Research. Indiana University Press: Bloomington, 1991.

O’Toole, Laura L and Jessica R. Schiffman. Gender Violence: Interdisciplinary Perspectives. New York: New York University Press, 1997

Scully, Diana. Understanding Sexual Violence: A Study of Convicted Rapists. Routledge: New York, 1994.

Topics and Readings

Week 1 Jan. 17. Introduction to course

Week 2 & 3 Topic: Feminist Methodology and Epistemology  How is feminist research the same/different from other types of research?  What is interdisciplinary research?  The significance of gender in research  Object/subject distinctions  What does objectivity mean?  Benefits and pitfalls of research practices labeled feminist  Race and class issues Reading: Jan. 24, Fonow and Cook, pps. 1-34, 60-106 Jan. 31, Fonow and Cook, pps. 35-59, 107-133, 265-283 Scully, pps. 1-32

2 Week 4 & 5 Topic: Theories/Explanations for Male Violence  Psychopathological  Socio-cultural  Violence as a development Issue  Women’s Rights and Human Rights  Is there a global feminist perspective on Male Violence? Readings: Feb. 7, Otoole and Schiffman, pps. 1-128 Scully, pps. 33-62 Feb. 14, Davies, pps. 1-26 Film: “The Vienna Tribunal” Week 6, 7 & 8 Topic: Violence in the Public Sector: Industrial vrs. Developing Countries  Sexual harassment  Stranger Rape  Pornography Readings: Feb. 21, O’Toole and Schiffman, pps. 129-183 Davies, pps. 53-96 Feb. 28, O’Toole and Schiffman, pps. 173-208 Scully, pps. 63-170 March 8, O’Toole and Schiffman, pps. 363-422 Fonow and Cook, pps. 171-196 Film: “Not a Love Story”

FEBRUARY 28, RESEARCH PROPOSALS DUE

Spring Break, March 11-17

Week 9 Topic: Violence in War and the Military  Gender violence as a military strategy  Mass rape  Forced prostitution  Afghanistan Readings: March 21, Davies, 149-181 Web Site: www.rawasongs.fancymarketing.net/women.html (read both articles) www.rawasongs.fancymarketing.net/documents.htm read: “RAWA Statement on International Human Rights Day, December 2001” and “RAWA Statement on US Strikes on Afghanistan, October 2001.” Film: “Beneath the Veil”

3 Week 10 Topics: Violence in the Private Sector—Industrial vrs. Developing Countries  Infanticide and selective abortion  Compulsory marriage  Wife abuse  Marital rape  Femicide Readings: March 28, O’Toole and Schiffman, pps. 243-305 Davies, pps. 111-117,

Week 11 Topics: Violations Against Children and Women’s Reproductive Rights and Bodily Integrity  Incest and non-relative child sexual abuse  Abortion rights  Forced sterilization  Female genital mutilation Readings: April 4, O’Toole and Schiffman, pps. 305-422 Davies, pps. 97-110, 118-148 Film: Abortion Stories: North and South Week 12 Topics: Freedom from Violence: Global Strategies for Change  Social and cultural change  Legal and governmental action Readings: April 11, O’Toole and Schiffman, pps. 423-482 Davies, pps. 182-253 Web Sites: www.hri.ca/uninfo/treaties/ViolWom.shtml UN Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women www.undp.org/fwcw.plat.htm Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action

Week 13 April 18—Catch Up!

Week 14 & 15 April 25—Student Presentations

May 2—RESEARCH PAPERS DUE

4 Supplemental Reading List

Feminist Methodology and Epistemology in the Social Sciences

Alcoff, Linda. “Cultural Feminism Versus Post-Structuralism: The Identity Crisis in Feminist Theory,” Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society. 13, no. 3, 1988. 405-436.

Debold, Elizabeth, Deborah Tolman, and Lyn Mikel Brown. “Embodying Knowledge, Knowing Desire: Authority and Split Subjectivities in Girls’ Epistemological Development,” in Knowledge, Difference and Power. Nancy Goldberger, Jill Tarule, Blythe Clinchy and Mary Belenky, eds. Basic Books: NY, NY, 1996.

Harding, Sandra, ed. Feminism and Methodology: Social Science Issues. Indiana University Press: Bloomington, 1987.

Harding, Sandra. “Gendered Ways of Knowing and the ‘Epistemological Crisis’ of the West,” in Knowledge, Difference and Power, Nancy Goldberger, Jill Tarule, Blythe Clinchy and Mary Belenky, eds. Basic Books: NY, NY, 1996.

Hesse-Biber, Sharlene. Feminist Approaches to Theory & Methodology: An Interdisciplinary Reader. Oxford University Press: Cambridge, 1999.

Linton, Rhoda. “Toward a Feminist Research Method,” Gender/Body/Knowledge/Feminist Reconstructions of Being and Knowing, Alison M. Jaggar and Susan R. Bordo eds. Rutgers University Press: New Brunswick, NJ, 1990.

Narayan, Uma. “The Project of Feminist Epistemology: Perspectives from a Nonwestern Feminist,” in Gender/Body/Knowledge/Feminist Reconstructions of Being and Knowing, Alison M. Jaggar and Susan R. Bordo eds. Rutgers University Press: New Brunswick, NJ, 1990.

Tarule, Jill Mattuck. “Voices in Dialogue: Collaborative Ways of Knowing,” in Knowledge, Difference and Power, Nancy Goldberger, Jill Tarule, Blythe Clinchy and Mary Belenky, eds. Basic Books: NY, NY, 1996.

Feminist Methodology and Epistemology in the Humanities

Belsey, Catherine and Jane Moore (eds). The Feminist Reader: Essays in Gender and the Politics of Literary Criticism. New York: Blackwell, 1989.

"Feminist Studies/Critical Studies: Issues, Terms and Contexts.” Feminist Studies/Critical Studies. Bloomington: Indiana UP, 1986.

5 Mills, Sara, Lynne Pearce, Sue Spaull, and Elaine Millard (eds). Feminist Readings/Feminists Reading. Sydney: Harvester, 1989.

Weedon, Chris. Feminist Practice and Poststructuralist Theory. Oxford: Blackwell, 1987.

Global Perspectives on Women

Mohanty, Chandra Talpade, Ann Russo, and Lourdes Torres. Third World Women and the Politics of Feminism. Indiana University Press: Bloomington, 1991.

Pietila, Hilkka and Jeanne Vickers. Making Women Matter: The Role of the United Nations. ZED Books: New Jersey, 1997.

Visanathan, Nalini, Lynne Duggan, Lauri Nisonoff, and Nan Wiegersma (eds). The Women, Gender and Development Reader. ZED Books: New Jersey, 1997.

Wichterich, Christa (translated by Patrick Camiller). The Globalized Woman: Reports from a Future of Inequality. ZED Books: New Jersey, 2000.

Women and Global Violence

Allen, Beverly. Rape Warfare: The Hidden Genocide in Bosnia-Herzegovina. University of Minnesota Press: Minneapolis, 1996.

Barry, Kathleen. Female Sexual Slavery. Prentice Hall: New Jersey, 1979.

Bunch, Charlotte and Roxanna Carillo. Gender Violence: A Development and Human Rights Issues. Center for Global Women’s Leadership, Rutgers University: New Brunswick, 1991.

Bunch, Charlotte and Niamh Reilly. Demanding Accountability: The Global Campaign and Vienna Tribunal for Women’s Human Rights. The Center for Women’s Global Leadership and the United Nations Development Fund for Women, 1994.

Burn, Shawn Meghan. Women Across Cultures: A Global Perspective. Mayfield: California, 2000.

Carillo, Roxanna. Battered Dreams: Violence Against Women as an Obstacle to Development. United Nations Development Fund for Women: New York, 1992.

Cook, Rebecca. Human Rights of Women: National and International Perspectives. University of Pennsylvania Press: Philadelphia, 1994.

6 Cornell, Drucilla. Feminism and Pornography. Oxford University Press: New York, 2000.

Hossain, Rokeye Sakhawat. Sultana’s Dream and Selections from the Secluded One. Feminist Press: New York, 1988.

Jacobs, Susie, Ruth Jacobson, and Jennifer Marchbank (eds.). States of Conflict: Gender, Violence and Resistence. ZED Books: New Jersey, 2000.

Jayawardena, Kumari. Embodied Violence: Communalising Women’s Sexuality in South Asia. ZED Books, 1996.

Kerr, Joanna. Ours by Right: Women’s Rights as Human Rights. ZED Books/the North- South Institute: London, 1993.

Martin, Susan Forbes. Refugee Women. Zed Books: New Jersey, 1991.

Omvedt, Gail. Violence Against Women: New Movements and New Theories in India. Kali for Women: New Delhi, 1990.

Radford, Jill and Diane E. H. Russell (eds). Femicide: The Politics of Woman Killing. Twayne Publishers: New York, 1992.

Russell, Diane E. H. and Nicole Van de Ven (eds). The Proceedings of the International Tribunal on Crimes Against Women. Les Femmes: California, 1976.

Schuler, Margaret. Freedom From Violence: Women’s Strategies from Around the World. United Nations Development Fund for Women: New York, 1992.

Scully, Diana. Understanding Sexual Violence: A Study of Convicted Rapists. Routledge: New York, 1994.

Tomasevski, Katarina. Women and Human Rights. ZED Books: New Jersey, 1993.

Toubia, Nahid. Female Genital Mutilation: A Call for Global Action. Women, Ink: New York, 1993.

Vickers, Jeanne. World and War. ZED Books: New Jersey, 1993.

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